Port Hope
When the kingdom of Kaleina went into exodus in the interior islands, they left behind one port with access to the sea. Port Hope was established as a city on stilts, sitting in the estuary of the Olla River. There it is protected from the Forest, and serves as all of Veiama's only link to the outside world.
In the early days, ships came and went to the rest of the world. Over time, as the Forest spread further and further away from Veiama, incoming ships dried up. Port Hope hasn't seen a foreign ship in about 50 years, and is no longer the vital linchpin in a trade network. Now, they are on the receiving end of goods supplied from Kaleina.
Still, Port Hope maintains its relevance by being the only city in Veiama with sea access and, thus, seafood. Although only Lake Olla in Kaleina is possibly close enough to get seafood fresh, frozen fish are transported throughout the winter.
Demographics
Ethnicity
Port Hope is one of the most diverse cities in Veiama, with 20% of residents falling into the "other" category, for ethnicities not native to Veiama and rarely found in the rest of the lakes. Traders from Port Hope brought back spouses, traders from the south decided to stick around, and refugees from southern lands only recently hit by the Forest fled to the stable community already adapted to it. Even the Tarkalas, who make up the majority at 75%, are frequently mixed with other groups and have a more diverse range of skin, hair, and colours than seen in the rest of Veiama. The other two major ethnic groups in Veiama, Karuvians and Manashins, make up a significant minority. Port Hope was founded by Tarkalan residents of Kaleina who stayed behind during the exodus, and few people are willing to brave the portage through the Forest to immigrate to a city with limited agriculture or access to the rest of the kingdom.Religion
Port Hope is predominantly Keitist. Their local druid circle is unique on its focus on marine nature rather than traditional forest life. Other religions are present with a higher degree of tolerance than seen in most of Kaleina. The Old Religion, traditional Manashin spirituality, and religious practices brought from abroad and practiced only in small family groups are respected minorities. The city has a reputation in more conservative parts of Kaleina as being far too liberal and far too tolerant, but Port Hopers are proud of their unique heritage and culture.Architecture
All of Port Hope is an engineering project. It sits in the mouth of the Olla River on hundreds of wooden platforms. Like a never ending dock, the wooden walkways crisscross the city in three storeys. Much of the city was built from re-purposed ship parts, so curved walls and thick pillars made from old masts are common. Newcomers to the city often fear that the whole place is going to fall apart in the next storm, but its sturdier than it looks are residents are meticulous about never wasting any material and fixing any deterioration as soon as possible. The most important foundations of the city are made from stone pillars.
The highest level of the city gets the most sunlight and most of it has been converted to gardens. Soil is gathered from the seabed to fill expansive wooden planters. The top level is also home to the wealthiest citizens, who live in large houses with plenty of natural light.
The middle level is where more of the city thrives. It's home to both houses and shops.
The lowest level is only about ten feet above the sea level, and prone to flooding during storms. The walkways above are lower here than in the mid-level, and this much closer to the sea, it's damper. Algae grows on pillars and in several places, the shortest route to get home is to scramble over support beams with only water below. This level is also home to the docks, which spread out in a ring around Port Hope like a plate under a cake. These days, the docks don't see any large trade ships, and are used for local fishermen coming in and out.